I love and relate to all of this, and I really hope more people add their "what I'd tell myself" thoughts.
Mine is "the ideas will come with age, especially if you keep reading and observing and writing and believing." When I was in my earliest 20s and just DYING to write a book, I had the time and energy but I could not think of an idea for the life of me. Then I finally had ONE idea--but I let a naysayer squash it. Fastforward another decade and I learned to stick with other ideas (one at a time) and protect my fragile ideas from the naysayers. Ha! But I still never had more than one idea at a time.
It took until my late 40s to suddenly have lots of ideas--the most fun part is when one strikes unexpectedly--and the trick has become choosing (and of course figuring out how to execute and sticking with it through endless drafts). I could have worried much less if I'd just trusted that experience would rewire my brain--but it would take a LONG LONG TIME.
I love and relate to all of this, and I really hope more people add their "what I'd tell myself" thoughts.
Mine is "the ideas will come with age, especially if you keep reading and observing and writing and believing." When I was in my earliest 20s and just DYING to write a book, I had the time and energy but I could not think of an idea for the life of me. Then I finally had ONE idea--but I let a naysayer squash it. Fastforward another decade and I learned to stick with other ideas (one at a time) and protect my fragile ideas from the naysayers. Ha! But I still never had more than one idea at a time.
It took until my late 40s to suddenly have lots of ideas--the most fun part is when one strikes unexpectedly--and the trick has become choosing (and of course figuring out how to execute and sticking with it through endless drafts). I could have worried much less if I'd just trusted that experience would rewire my brain--but it would take a LONG LONG TIME.
I LOVE this, Andromeda. Thank you for sharing!!
These are so relatable! Especially how everything will take longer than you think (as I’m still revising my novel almost 3 years after I started it 🫠)
Keep going! It always takes longer, but it's worth the time!
What a great reflection on the writing process!
Thanks, my friend!